Good Morning, New Mexico Activists:
We hope you’re enjoying the rain and cooler weather this week. What a relief! We want to tell you about a few things that are coming up. First, do we want our state to be the epicenter of this country’s nuclear proliferation? Will we continue to be the central dumping ground for U.S. nuclear waste? Let’s learn more about what’s going on so that we can knowledgeably work to stop it.
Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Interim Committee Meeting
This Wednesday, June 22, the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Interim Committee will meet at the Roundhouse, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Room 307. We’re not asking you to take action –– this is FYI. The committee is scheduled to hear overview reports on the regulation of radioactive and hazardous materials from the state Environment Department; Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Department; and the State Land Office. You can find the whole agenda at this link.
If that doesn’t interest you, this might: the committee’s full work plan for the interim period, “as scheduling permits,” includes the status of Holtec’s storage facility permit application, the implementation of the Produced Water Act, WIPP permit modifications, LANL’s plan for increased plutonium pit production, issues concerning downwinders, and “a proposed green amendment.” You’ll find the full list of work plan topics at this link. (The third page at that link lists subsequent meetings: Clovis in August, Grants in September, and back in Santa Fe in November.)
I spoke to the committee secretary, Tom Kricka, on Friday and he told me the committees are “moving away from Zoom,” which is what we’ve heard from other committees as well. (Unlike committees during the Session, Interim Committees may meet in various locations across the state, which allows people in other communities to participate without traveling to the Capitol.) The June 22 meeting will be open to the public and public comment is scheduled at 3:15 p.m. You don’t need to ask in advance––you can simply show up to the meeting and use the Public Comment sign-up sheet. Length of comment allowed will depend on the number of people signing up. You may also submit written comment in advance, no later than 24 hours before the meeting, to Tom at Tom.Kricka@nmlegis.gov. As usual, you’ll be more effective keep your written and/or spoken comments clear and concise.
If you’re curious, you can find the committee membership at this link, although we’re not recommending any action at this time.
Advocacy Huddle on Gun Violence Prevention
We also want to remind you of our next Advocacy Huddle via Zoom, on Weds., July 13, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Our guest will be Miranda Viscoli, Co-President of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, with whom we will have a deep discussion of what we want from the legislature in 2023 and advocacy strategies to achieve it. There will be time for participant comments and questions. Please join us by registering at this link. You must register to attend.
Keeping in mind that knowledgeable activism is more effective activism, we are planning a series of Zoom Webinars on the issues we will focus on from now through the 2023 Legislative Session, including Public Banking, Public Power, Guaranteed Basic Income, Health Security, Paid/Reformed Legislature, Just Transition from Fossil Fuels, Opposition to Hydrogen Production, and more. We’ll send you info about those Webinars as they are scheduled over the next several months.
That’s all for now, my friends. Thank you for being active, thank you for caring, thank you for never giving up!
In Solidarity and Hope,
Roxanne and Paul